Adjustable combustion chamber for internal-combustion engines



J. M. WQODRUFF ETAL- 2,433,639

Filed Sept 24, 1942 '2 She'ets-Sheet 1 WEE K Wu 7 km W 3 H, W W ..A. 1 w JM w N... v .H v r Z w 3 E y .L w A a 2 3y o .31 wo vm Dec. 30, 1947.

ADJUSTABLE COMBUSTION CHAMBER FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES O L. 4 2 m E 4/4/42 0 T .5 IIW 2 1:: P 0 ,Q 3 i I a a m b Y M L k V ma 7 p M 0 M Patented Dee 30, 1947 ADJUSTABLE COMBUSTION CHAMBER FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES John Melvin Woodruii and Jesse Alvin Woodrufi,

Tremontom, Utah Application September at, 1942, Serial No. 459,485

7 Claims. (Ci. 123* 48) This invention relates to adjustable combustion chamber for internal combustion engines wherein the design ratio of compression is kept substantially constant during varying conditions ofengine operation.

-Ihe invention particularly relates to control systems for automatically varying th volumetric ratio of compression in accordance with engine requirements, that is, for automatically varying the sizes of the respective enclosed cylinder spaces of an internal combustion engine within which the explosive or ignitable charges are com pressed and ignited.

Conventional internal combustion engines having'flxed operative relationship between pistons and cylinders, cannot maintain the design ratio of compression constant during operation. The result is waste of fuel and inefficiency of operation in general.

The waste and inefficiency are caused by-the fact that, with the spaces between the working faces of the pistons and the cylinder heads, i. e. the compression chambers of the cylinders, positively predetermined in size characteristics, as they are where pistons and cylinders have fixed operative relationships, the suction effective therein when the engine is idling or running at low speeds with the accelerator or throttle only partially open, cannot be completely satisfied by the limited fuel and air intake, and partial vacuums are formed within such compression chambers prior to the compressing strokes of the pistons. Accordingly, what limited quantities of fuel and air that are drawn into the compression chambers on the intake stroke of the pistons are only partially compressed on the compressing strokes of the pistons, and efficiency of operation is cut down to that extent.

Internal combustion engines have heretofore been designed with extensible pistons or with crank shafts capable of being elevated relative to the cylinder block for varying the sizes of the respective cylinder compression chambers, thus overcoming this difliculty of inadequate compression under certain conditions of operation,

2 in conventional internal combustion engine design.

Third-To provide for elevating and lowering the crankshaft of an internal combustion engine relative to th cylinder block thereof under positive control originating in the intake manifold of the engine, thus varying the sizes of the respective cylinder compression chambers in strict accordance with operating requirements.

Fourth-To provide hydraulic means for elevating the crankshaft of the engine in response to the desired control.

- Fifth-To take off from the lubricating system of the engine the necessary hydraulic fluid for the intake of too much fuel mixture by the respective but, so far as we are aware, ,controls for these variable arrangements have been inadequate, and

of operation of the engine, to insure maximumcombustion at all times and to prevent firing at low compression.

Second-To provide the above at comparatively low cost and with a minimum of change cylinders at such times as the crankshaft is being lowered and the cylinder compression chambers are thereby being increased in size.

Further objects and features of th invention will be apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings: 7

Fig.1 represents a vertical sectional view, taken on the line l--i, Fig. 2, of a, gasoline internal combustion engine equipped with a preferred embodiment of the control system of the invention, the illustration being largely diagrammatic; v

Fig. 1A, an operation diagram;

Fig. 2, a horizontal section taken on the line 2--2, Fig. 1, the several control instrumentalities illustrated in Fig. 1 being not here shown; and

Fig. 3, an enlarged fragmentary vertical section taken on the line 3-3, Fig. 2, illustrating the flexible connection of the crankshaft with a stationary driven shaft.

The control system of the invention may be utilized in combination with a variety of different types of internal combustion engines, but is here exemplified in association with an engine having four vertical cylinders aligned in what is known as straight formation, see Fig. 2.

The only departure from conventional 'design in the engine proper resides in the arrangement of the crankshaft. Fuel intake, ignition, exhaust,

,valve operation, and timing are all provided for according to well known practice, and are, therefore, not here'illustrated or described.

In the preferred embodiment'of the invention here illustrated, the control apparatus is suitably connected, to the intake manifold, to the crankshaft, and to the crankcase of the engine for accomplishing, automatically, th desired control of compression in accordance with operating requirements.

The crankshaft i0 is journaled at H, i2 and IS in the respective arms 14a, 14b and Me of a cradle M. Fig. 2, which is pivoted, at the free ends of its respectivearms, on a. shaft l4-i, for controlled upward and downward rocking movement relative to the cylinder block i5 and cylinder head it, see Fig. 1, during operation of the engine.

Connected to the four cranks Illa of the crankshaft ill by means of respective conventional connecting rods l1 are respective pistons l8. arranged to reciprocate within the respective cylinders IQ of the cylinder block l5.

The pivotal mounting of the cradle l4 enables the crankshaft Ill to be rocked up and down, and, thus, the pistons l8 to be adjusted relative to cylinder head it, as occasion might require.

Extending outwardly from the crankcase through an aperture 2i formed partly in a wall of the crankcase and partly in a corresponding wall of the cylinder block I5, is a centrally located, actuating arm I4d of the cradle H. A flexible cover 22 made of oil-proof flexible material, tightly closes the aperture 2i, and enables cradleactuating arm Md to work up and down without any accompanying escape, through the aperture, of lubricating oil from the crankcase.

Linked to the outer extremity of cradle-actuating arm lld, by means of a pivotally secured connecting link 23, is a hydraulic Jack 24, the plunger of which is arranged to be elevated and lowered under control from the intake manifold 25 of the engine.

It is advantageous and convenient that the lubricating system of the engine be called upon to supply the hydraulic fluid for elevating the jack 24, although such hydraulic fluid may be supplied from a specially provided storage tank.

To this end, supply and return pipes 25 and 26, respectively, are provided, leading from communication with the crankcase to communication with opposite ends of a plunger-type control valve 21 through ports 25a and 26a, respectively.

Crankcase oil is thereby supplied from and returned to the crankcase.

A closed piping or conduit circuit 28 communicates, through supply and return ports 28a and 281), respectively, with control valve 21 at spaced upper and lower locations thereof, respectively, and intermediate the supply and return ports 25a. and 26a, respectively. An oil pump 29 is connected into the piping circuit- 28 for inducing circulation, and-a shunt pipe 30 connectspiping circuit 28 with the lifting chamber 24-1 of hydraulic jack 24.

Theplunger 21-l of control valve 21 is normally held in neutral position closing both the upper and lower ports 28a and 28b, so there is no flow of oil from the crankcase through the P p g system.

cradle It.

When plunger 21-l of the control valve 21 is raised, closing supply port 28a and leaving return port 281) uncovered, oil from lifting chamber 24-i of the jack is forced out by the weight bearing down upon plunger 24-2, and flows 4 through shunt pipe 34, through the portion of piping circuit" which leads to the lower part of control valve 21, throughthe lower part of control valve 21, and finally, through return pipe 28 back into crankcase 20.

As aforestated, control of the operation of hydraulic jack 24 is accomplished automatically in accordance with varying conditions existing in the intake manifold 25, from time to time during operation of the engine.

The carburetor is indicated diagrammatically at 20. It may be of any usual and standard make for controlling the mixture of gasoline and air to butterfly throttle valve, and, thus, to correspondingly increase and decrease the supply of fuel to, and, therefore, the speed of, the engine.

The control desired and attained by the invention depends upon the quantity of fuel (here intermixed air and gasoline from carburetor 30) supplied through intake manifold 25 to the compression chambers i9-l of the several cylinders 19, respectively, of the engine from time to time during operation thereof; and the quantity of fuel so supplied depends upon the extent or degree of opening of butterfly throttle valve 3i. Since the operative stroke of each piston I8 is predetermined and constant, as is the case with pistons of practically all internal combustion engines of conventional design, the suction-effect is constant for small degrees of opening of the butterfly valve,

only a small proportion of fuel can be drawn into the respective compression chambers I9-l on the intake strokes of the respective pistons i8. The excess suction-efiect can only produce a partial vacuum in the intake manifold 25, with resulting partial vacuums in the respective compression chambers l9-i.

It is because these partial vacuums in the re spective compression chambers I9-l prevent proper compression of the fuel mixtures on the compression strokes of the respective pistons i8, that raising of the crankshaft, bodily, becomes important for the purpose of compensating for, that is, for the purpose of forcing the several pistons 18 to displace, in each instance, that portion of the space between the working face or top surface of the piston and the undersurface of the corresponding cylinder head, which is represented .by a vacuum condition,

In utilizing the various partial vacuum conditions in the intake manifold 25 as the control determinant, a vacuum-responsive device 35, having the suction chamber 35-I and diaphragm 35-2, has its suction chamber communicating with the intake manifold, as by means of the pipe 36. The diaphragm 35-2 has a rigid stem 31 extending therefrom into pivotal connection with one end 38a of a floating rocker-arm 38.

The rocker-arm 38 is fuicrumed intermediate its length and preferably centrally thereof, by

The other end, 3817, of rocker-arm 38 is pivotally connected to the link 40, which is, in turn, pivotally connected to the outer extremity of cradleactuating-arm 4d and to the connecting link 23.

A return spring 4!, anchored at one of its ends to a rigid and, stationary frame member 42 of the engine, has its-other end secured to that end 38a of rocker-arm 38 at which the stem 3! of vacuum-responsive device 35 is connected.

The spring 4! serves to normally maintain the end 38a of rocker-arm 38 in elevated position (see dotted line position Fig. 1). By normally is meant during such times as no suction effect is operative in suction chamber 35-! of vacuumlines in Fig. 1.

When, however, a partial vacuum exists in intake manifold 25, due to butterfly throttle valve 3! being only slightly open, as for instance, when the engine is idling or running at low speed, it is manifested in like degree within suction chamber 35-! of vacuum-responsive device 35, causing diaphragm 35-2 thereof to lower, under the influence of atmospheric pressure, against the restraining action of return spring 4'!. Coincidentally, end 38aof rocker-arm 38 is lowered and valve plunger 21-! thereby lowered to uncover supply port 28a, whereby lubricating oil from crankcase 20 is allowed to flow through valve 21 intopiping circuit 28 and through shunt pipe 3i! into the liftin chamber 24-! of hydraulic jack 24. The plunger 2!-2 of the hydraulic jack is forced up, thereby raising cradle !4 about the shaft !4! as a center. Thus, crankshaft I0 is raised proportionally to the extent or degree of partial vacuum in intake manifold 25, and compensates for such vacuum condition by reducing the sizes of the respective cylinder compression chambers !3-!.

particular piston !8, there appearing, disposed at the end of its compression stroke, the compression chamber !9! being ofreduced size, compensating for the vacuum condition.

It should be noted that the pump 29 operates continually during operation of the engine, and that a check valve 43 prevents back-flow of oil from hydraulic jack 24 into the pumpduring the lowering of plunger 24-2 of the jack.

The raising of jack plunger. 24-2 not only raises cradle l4 and crankshaft !0, but also raises end 381) of floating rocker-arm 38. End 38a. is anchored and acts as a fulcrum during the raising movement, because the suction efiect in chamber 35-! of the vacuum-responsive device prevents upward movement of diaphragm 35-2 and of stem 31. Accordingly, as 'jack plunger 24-2 gradually rises, it pulls valve plunger 21-! upwardly, because of its connection with rocker arm 38, and closes supply port 28a of piping circuit 28, as illustrated in Fig. 1, thereby preventing further flow of oil to lifting chamber 24! of hydraulic jack 24.

It should be noted that valve plunger. 21-! is preferably of such length that, in this neutral position, it just closes both supply port 28a and return port 28b of piping circuit 28. Thus, no

Fig. 11 illustrates this completely raised position, with the I 38 to normal position, thereby opening return port 28b of piping circuit 28 and allowing the additional oil can be supplied to hydraulic jack 24, and what oil was supplied thereto for lifting purposes, is entrapped against return, maintaining plunger 24-2 thereof in its elevated position,

A cut-out pressure valve 44 may be provided in shunt pipe 30, for the sake of safety in case the control valve 2'! fails to operate as scheduled.

So long as there is a partial'vacuum in intake manifold 25, the plunger of hydraulic jack 24 will remain in elevated position, but when there is substantially no vacuum in intake manifold 25, as for instance when the butterfly throttle valve 3! is fully open and the engine is operating under load, there is no suction effect within suction chamber 35-! of vacuum-responsive device 35, and the action of sprin 4! returns diaphragm 35-2, its stem 31, and the end 38a of rocker-arm weight of cradle !4' and cranlmhaft ill on hydraulic jack 24 to force the jack plunger 24-2 downwardly and return the oil in the jack lifting chamber 24-! to crankcase 20. As jack plunger 24-2 reaches its completely lowered position, valve plunger 27-! will be lowered just enough to place it in its neutral position closing return port 28b, this action taking place because end 38a of rocker-arm 38 is anchored in its raised position by spring 4 I while end 38b of the rockerarm lowers gradually with the outflow of oil from chamber 24-! of "the hydraulic jack.

Recapitulating: the jack plunger 24-2 of hydraulic jack 24, the cradle I4, and the crankshaft !0 are all in the, completely lowered positions shown by dottedlines in Fig. 1,when the engine is not operating, The illustrated neutral position of valve plunger 2'l-l is the position it assumes both whenthe engine is not operating (rockerarm 38 being in its dotted line position) and when the engine is idling or operating at'very low speed (rocker-arm 38 being in its full line position).

In passing from its dotted line position to its full line position, rocker-arm 38 lowers valve plunger 21-! sufficiently to completely open the upper end of piping circuit 28, that is, the supply port 28a, thereby bringing about a supply flow of oil from crankcase 28 into lifting chamber 24-! of the jack to elevate the jack plunger 24-2.

In passing from its full line position to its dotted line position, rocker-arm 38 raises valve plunger 21-! sufficiently to completely open the lowerv end of piping circuit 28, that is, the return port 28b, thereby bringing about a return flow of oil from lifting chamber 24-! of the jack into crankcase 20 to permit jack plunger 24-2 to lower.

Partial movement of rocker-arm 38 from its dotted line position toward its full line position opens supply port 28a proportionally. Similarly, partial movement of rocker-arm 38 from its full line position toward its dotted line position opens return port 28b proportionally.

The diagram of Fig. 1A graphically portrays the operation of the control system, as thus far described. When the engine idles after being started, the partial vacuum in intake manifold 25 creates a suction effect in suction chamber 35-! of vacuum-responsive device 35, which is operative to rigidly lower, againstthe tension of spring'4 I, that end 38a of rocker-arm 38 to which stem 3'! is attached, bringing it down to corre spond with the lowered position of its ODPOSite' thereby, opens supply port 25a. Accordingly, oil flows into the hydraulic jack 24, and raises Jack plunger 21-! gradually. Thus, that end 381; of rocker-arm 38 to which the lack plunger is connected, also raises gradually, as indicated by the successive dotted line positions of rocker-arm 38 extending from the lowermost dotted line, indicated x, upwardly, the movement being fanwise from the anchored end 38a. By the time jack plunger 242 and the rocker-arm end 381) reach their uppermost positions, valve plunger 21-! will have been raised just enough to replace it in its neutral position closing both supply port 28a and return port 281).

When the engine is given full throttle or dies for any reason, there is no longer any vacuum condition in intake manifold 25 to maintain end 38a of rocker-arm 38 in lowered position against the restraining action of spring 4|. Accordingly,

spring 41 rapidly raises rocker-arm end 38a, placing the rocker-arm in the dotted line position indicated y, momentarily, and raising valve plunger 21-! to open return port 2817 of piping circuit 28. The oil within lifting chamber 24-! of the hydraulic jackflows back into crankcase 20 gradually, and jack plunger 24-2 and rockerarm end 38b thus lower gradually, as indicated by the successive dotted line positions of rockerarm 38 extending from the uppermost dotted line position 1/, downwardly, the movement being fanwise from the anchored end 38a. By the time jack plunger 24-2 and rocker-arm end-38b reach their lowermost positions, valve plunger 21-l will have been lowered just enough to replace it in its neutral position closing both supply port 28c and return port 2817.

Valve plunger 21-! of control valve 21, it should be noted, is in its neutral position for any set running condition of the engine. It is only at such times as there is a change in engine operation, e. g. when throttling to increase or decrease speed, or when there is a sudden change in load,

that such valve plunger 21-! raises or lowers above or below its neutral position, as the case may be.

link and rocker arm arrangement 48, 49 and 5f is to relax spring 41.

'A vacuum-responsive device 52, having a suction chamber 52-! communicating with the intake manifold 25 at a location between butterfly valve 45 and cylinder head 16, and having a diaphragm 52-2 connected to arm 46 of butterfly valve 45 by means of stem 53, is operative under conditions of vacuum in the portion of intake manifold 25 with which it communicates, to exert a force on butterfly valve 45 in opposition to the closing force exerted by spring 41, and effective to open such butterfly valve 45 regardless of spring 41.

Considering now the operation of the abovedescribed arrangement for automatically closing the intake manifold 25 against the over-supply of fuel mixture to the respective cylinders of the engine: when the engine is dead, that is, not operating, jack plunger 24-2 is in lowered position and spring 41 is completely relaxed. Vacuum-responsive device 52 is dormant, and butterfly valve 45 is relaxed.

After the engine has been started, and is idling withbutterfly throttle valve 3| partially open, there is 'a partial vacuum condition within intake manifold 25, the strength of which depends upon the degree of opening of the butterfly throttle valve. This partial vacuum causes vacuumresponslve device 35 to lower floating rocker-arm 38 against the pull of spring 4|, and thereby, lowers control valve plunger 21-l, uncovering supply port 28a to cause jack plunger 24-2 to gradually rise, as explained hereinbefore. It is here assumed that the strength of the vacuum in intake manifold is such as to cause jack In order to insure against the intake of too arrangement is provided for automatically closing the intake manifold 25 against cylinder intake during the lowering period. 7

As illustrated in Fig. 1, a butterfly valve 45 is positioned in intake manifold 25 between carburetor 30 and cylinder head l5, and is adapted to be manipulated by arm 45 for opening and closing the flow passage through the intake manifold.

Force tending to close butterfiy valve 45 is exerted by means of a spring 41, which has one of its ends secured to arm 46. The other end of spring 41 is secured to a link 48, which is pivotally connected to a rocker-arm 49. The rockerarm 49 is fulcrumed intermediate its ends on a shaft 50, which is'rigidly secured to a stationary frame member 50-! of the engine. A link 5| articulatively connects rocker-arm 49 with link 40, and, thereby, with the outer extremity of actuating arm I4d of cradle l4;

When plunger 24-2 of hydraulic jack 24 is in normal lowered position, because there is no suction effect operative in suction chamber 35-! of vacuum-responsive device 35, the action of the plunger 24-2 to be completely raised.

Spring 41, it should be noted, is now tensioned because of the raised position of jack plunger 24-2, but its normal closing action on butterfly valv 45 is counteracted by vacuum-responsive device 52, which, due to the vacuum condition within intake manifold 25, is effective to hold butterfly valve 45 in opened position during the entire period of gradual tensioning of spring 41.

Now, assuming that butterfly throttle valve 3| is suddenly opened wide for the purpose of accelerating the engine to high speed. The partial vacuum in intake manifold 25 is immediately dissipated, with a resulting lowering of jack plunger 24-2, and therewith, cradle l4 and crankshaft l5, in the manner previously described. This lowering of the jack plunger, the cradle, and the crankof spring 41 is gradually relaxing. The butterfly valve 45 is thus closed by spring 41.

But the closing of butterfly valve 45 insures the presence of a vacuum condition within that portion of intake manifold 25 which lies between butterfly valve 45 and cylinder head l6, thereby making vacuum-responsive device 52 effective to counteract the diminishing tension of spring 41 and to open butterfly valve 45.

It might be said that there is a hovering the crankshaft.

Upon complete lowering of the jack plunger, the

crade and the crankshaft, the spring 41 being then completely relaxed, butterfly valve .5 remains in open position. This is normal running condition, a condition in which there are no partial vacuums in the compression chambers Ill-l of the respective cylinders Hi to be compensated for.

Closing of the butterfly throttle valve 3! renews the vacuum condition in intake manifold 25 and raises the jack plunger, cradle, and crankshaft, all as explained hereinbefore.

It should be noted that the arrangement for automatically closing the intake manifold 25' against over-supply of fuel mixture to the respective cylinders of the engine during the lowering of the crankshaft, also efiectively guards against full supply of fuel mixture to. the respective cyl inders should the crankshaft, the cradle, or the hydraulic jack become stuck and locked in raised 10'. and various other advantageous, embodiments may be constructed by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and generic purview of theinvention as set forth herein and in the claims which here follow.

We claim: 1. In a cylinder and piston type of internal combustion engine having a crankshaft and an intake manifold; a mounting for said crankshaft, said mounting being arranged to raise said crankshaft upwardly toward the cylinder head of the engine, and to lower'said crankshaft to its original position;- a fluid jack adapted to actuate said mounting to raise said crankshaft; means operatively connecting said fluid Jack with said mounting; a system for supplying fluid to and for discharging fluid from said fluid jack; a control valve arranged in said system for controlling the supply and discharge of fluid to and from said fluid-jack; a vacuum-responsive device operative from the intake manifold of the engine to control position when the butterfly throttle valve 3| is wide open.

Since the crankshaft is raised bodily, a flexible connection must be provided from the drive end of the crankshaft to the driven shaft or other driven element.

An advantageous form of flexible connection is illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3. The crankshaft I has its drive end. lllb protruding fromthe crankcase 20 through an aperture 60 of ample size to permit full freedom of movement for the crankshaft. A flexible splash guard 6i closes aperture 60 against splashing. or outflow of oil therethrough, without interfering with movement of The protruding end lb of crankshaft ID has a universal 62 fitting over and rigidly secured thereto, while the driven shaft 63 has, a similar universal E l fitting over and rigidly secured to its driven end, as illustrated. The two universals are articulatively joined by the connecting link 65; so that universal 62 can be raised and lowered relative to fixed universal 64 in accordance with the movements of crankshaft 'I ll.

It should be noted that in the diagrammatic representation of Fig. 1, the several control mechportions. For the sake of clarity of explanation, control valve 27 is considerably enlarged, as are also, vacuum-responsive devices 35 and 52.

- It is advantageous that all the control instrumentalities relating to the raising of the crankshaft be disposed within the crankcase of the engine. .In this way, space is conserved, and the various instrumentalities are well protected from damage.

a The control feature associated with the intake manifold 25, namely, butterfly valve 45 and its associated mechanism, provides an effective control of fuel intake for any cylinder and piston type of internal combustion engine having high compression characteristics. However, this control feature forms the subject matter of a divisional application Serial No. 745,980, filed May 5, 1947.

Whereas this invention is illustrated and described with respect to only one preferred embodiment thereof, it should be understood that various changes may be made in said embodiment anisms are not illustrated in their relative prothe movement ofsaid control valve; an auxiliary valve in said intake-manifold for opening and closing the passage therethrough; a vacuum-responsive device communicating with that portion of said intake manifold which'is between said auxiliary valve and the cylinder or cylinders of the engine, and connected to said auxiliary valve for exerting opening action thereon under conditions of vacuum within said portion of the intake manifold; a spring connected at one of its ends to said auxiliary valve; and articulative means connecting the opposite end of said spring to the said fluid jack in such manner that when the said fluid jack is raised the said spring is I tensioned, and when lowered the spring is re-' laxed, the said spring being normally operative, when tensioned, to close the said auxiliary valve, but beingineifective thereon against the said opening action exerted by said vacuum-responsive device.

2. In a cylinder and piston type of internal combustion engine having a crankshaft, an intake manifold, and a crankcase; a mounting for said crankshaft, said mounting being arranged to raise said crankshaft upwardly toward the cylinder head of the engine, and to lower said crankshaft to its original position; a hydraulic jack adapted to actuate said mounting to raise said crankshaft; means operatively connecting said hydraulic jack with said mounting; a plunger valve, said plunger valve communicating with the said crankcase of the engine; a closed conduit cir-' cuit leading from said plungervalve at an upper point thereof and returning to said plunger valve at a lower point thereof; the plunger ofsald plunger valve being adapted in its neutral position to close both ends of said conduit circuit, in its raised position to close the upper end of said circuit, and in its lowered position to close th lower end of said circuit; a shunt conduit leading from said conduit circuit to said Jack; a pump disposed in said conduit circuit between the said upper end thereof and said shunt conduit; a check valve disposed in said conduit circuit between said pump and said shunt conduit; a vacuum-responsive device operative from the intake manifold of the engine; articulate connecting means between the plunger of said plunger valve, the said vacuum-responsive device, and the said hydraulic jack, whereby response of said vacuumresponsive device to a vacuum condition within said intake manifold will lower the plunger of said plunger valve, thereby opening the said upper end of said conduit circuit and closing the said the said articulate connecting means comprises a floating rocker-arm pivotally connected at one of its ends to said hydraulic jack, pivotally connected at its opposite end to said vacuum-responsive device, and pivotally connected intermediate its said ends to the said plunger of said plunger valve, and wherein the said plunger of said plunger valve is so arranged as to close both of said ends of said conduit circuit at such times as the said hydraulic jack is either substantially completely raised or substantially completely lowered.

4. In a compression type of internal combustion engine having an intake manifold for fuel and a throttle valve, the combination of means for automatically varying the volumetric compression ratio of said engine from time to time, during operation thereof, in accordance with variations in pressure within the said intake manifold, 50 as to maintain the desired compression ratio substantially constant; a normally open valve disposed within said intake manifold between said throttle valve and the engine and arranged to substantially close .the passage through said intake manifold; means for closing said valve while the said volumetric compression ratio is being increased; and means operable by adapted to move the said movable means for the purpose specified; a reservoir for fluid; a system for conducting fluid from said reservoir to said fluid jack and for returning fluid to said reservoir from said fluid jack; a control valve communicating with said reservoir and associated with said fluid conducting and return system for controlling the flow of fluid to and from said fluid jack, said control valve having a movable valve member; a vacuum-responsive device communicating with the intake manifold of said engine and having an element adapted to be displaced by the existence of vacuum conditions within said intake manifold; and a rigid element to which the plunger of said fluid Jack, the movable valve member of said control valve, and the displacevacuum conditions within that part of said intake manifold which lies between said valve and said engine, for opening said valve against the action of said closing means.

5, In a compression type of internal combustion engine having an intake manifold for fuel, the combination of movable means for varying the volumetric compression ratio of the engine so as to maintain the desired compression ratio substantially constant; suction-operable means for actuating said movable means, said suction-operable means being connected with the intake manifold so as to operate by reason of vacuum conditions existing therein; a normally open valve disposed within the intake manifold between the engine and the connection of said suction-operable means, said valve being arranged to Open and close the passage through the intake manifold; suction-operable means for opening said valve and for maintaining it open, said second named suction-operable means being connected to the intake manifold between the engine and said valve so as to operate by reason of vacuum conditions existing within that portion of the intake manifold; and tensionable resilient means connecting the first-named suction-operable means with said valve, said first-named suctionoperable means being efiective, when actuated, to tension said resilient means, and said resilient able element of said vacuum-responsive device are pivotally connected, so that said control valve is automatically set from time to time in accordance with the requirements of said engine during the operation thereof.

7. In a compression type of internal combustion engine having an intake manifold for fuel, the combination of movable means for varying the volumetric compression ratio of the engine so as to maintain the desired compression ratio substantially constant; a fluid jack having a plunger adapted to move said movable means for the purpose specified, raising of the jack plunger the flow of fluid to and from said fluid Jack; a

vacuum-responsive device communicating with the intake manifold of said engine and having an element adapted to be lowered by the existence of vacuum conditions within said intake manifold, and means for returning said element to its normal position when there are no longer vacuum conditions-within said intake manifold; a floatmeans being effective, when tensioned, to close 4 ing, rigid, rocker arm pivotally connected at its opposite end to said element of the vacuum-responsive device, and pivotally connected intermediate its said ends to theplunger of said plunger valve, said plunger being so arranged as to close REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

NITED STATES PATENTS- Number Name Date Re. 18,595 Wilson Sept. 13, 1932 2,120,012 Andreau June '7, 1938 1,404,366 Halton Jan, 24, 1922 1,566,376 Couty Dec. 22, 1925 1,684,550 Mallory Sept. 18, 1928 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 751,217 France Aug. 29, 1933 272,863 England Oct. 2'7, 1927 

